This top-selling mix includes "pretty-darn-quick"-to-establish prairie flowers and grasses to provide more immediate color and a naturalized look. For full-sun to partial-shade sites with medium soils. The maximum height of any grass or flower included here is no more than 4-5 feet, with most species at 3 feet. Although some of the native plants in this seed mix have ranges that extend beyond zones 3-7, the majority will do best in this zone range. For more detailed information please see the RANGE MAP for each species. View the complete species list, including % by weight, under COMPONENTS.

If planted in the fall or early spring, most of the plants in the "PDQ" mix will establish in the first year. Some blooms can be expected in year one but this should not stop you from mowing that season. Clipping or cutting will not harm the plants and blooms should be profuse in the second and third years. Read more...

Customer praise for PDQ:

“When I converted our hayfield into a prairie scape, I planted the PDQ mix and was rewarded with beautiful flowers, by the 2nd year. Gaining confidence since then, I’ve become even more creative by adding other seed mixes and enhancements. PDQ contains an excellent mix for establishing a hardy and colorful prairie garden.” - Laura S., La Crosse, WI

“The PDQ seed mix worked great and grows beautifully in the 2-3 year time-frame. I planted it in December 2012 and mowed several times during the 2013 summer. Last summer the flowers were spectacular, especially the Black-eyed Susan, Hyssop and Beardtongue.” - Sue R., Rochester, MN

For seed mixes of 1/8 acre or less, we include a temporary cover crop at no additional charge. ReGreen is a sterile, short-lived perennial wheat hybrid that can be planted spring or fall.

APrairie Moon • 01/15/2018 The two primary grasses in this mix (Little Blue and Side-oats) will top out, when mature, and at the end of summer, around 3 feet. The flowers of a couple species will top out at 5 feet, again when mature, and in full bloom. The height of any prairie planting will also be dependent on the conditions it’s planted in; mixes grown in drier conditions will be shorter than those in richer soils. Surrounding competition, and maturity of the plants will also play a role.

QNina • 06/24/2018 Can I plant your seed mixes if I have an area that is less than 500 sq. feet? Is it possible to use only half of the seeds in the pack?

APrairie Moon • 06/26/2018 Yes! Our pre-designed seed mixes have a very high seed count (nearly 200 seeds per sq ft on this mix), so seeding a 500 sq ft mix over a 250 sq ft area would be a lot of seed! Keep the unused seed for a future planting. Native seed can remain viable for a long time if stored, sealed, under cool, dry, constant conditions; likely in your home, rather than in a garage or shed.

QDorota • 04/10/2019 After planting can seeds be covered with straw to prevent birds from eating them?

APrairie Moon • 04/10/2019 Thanks for writing, Dorota. For spring seedings, we advise lightly raking the mix’s larger seeds into the soil and then surface-sowing the small seeds. We intentionally use high seeding rates for our mixes to allow for some loss due to predation or erosion. Our experience is that birds seldom locate enough of the seed to have a great impact. Using a light straw mulch could help to hide seed and lessen the impact of heavy rains but be careful not to mulch so heavily that light cannot reach the soil.

Qsteve • 03/23/2020 how contained would a 500ft2 lot be. We have adjoining formal beds.

APrairie Moon • 03/25/2020 As plants reach maturity, some species may spread by seeds or underground rhizomes. I would recommend a mowed border or some other kind of maintained border to keep your prairie planting in-check.

Native plant communities provide the inspiration for our seed-mix designs.
All our mixes feature high seeding rates and a diverse balance of native species, which, when mature,
will provide blossoms throughout the year. No matter what you want from a seed mix, you will need to
make sure it fits the soil-moisture holding capacity and sun conditions of your site.

E
stablishment of the diverse native-plant communities represented in our seed mixes can take three to five years.
The most critical process before planting is preparing the site by removing unwanted species and working to
deplete the soil’s weed seed bank.
Find detailed site prep, planting and care instructions for our seed mixes through the following links:

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges:

SEED
$100.00 and under: $5.00
over $100.00: 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature will be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS
$50.00 and under: $7.50
over $50.00: 15% of the total plant cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature will be required)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season:

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within a day or two upon receipt.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 38 and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery:

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.